New dental services centre launched in Berri

Wednesday, 7 December 2016

The Riverland Oral Health Centre in Berri will be launched today at a special ceremony with University of Adelaide, local, State and Australian Government representatives.

Co-located with the Riverland General Hospital, the new Centre will provide dental services for the region’s 11,000 eligible adults and 4000-4500 children under 18, as well as providing essential rural training places for the University of Adelaide’s dental students.

The $6 million centre was funded by the Australian Government. The clinic will include 10 dental chairs and x-ray facilities; an integrated IT system with a special high-speed fibre IT network connection with the University campus; administration, teaching, study and research areas; and laboratory and sterilisation support facilities.

It will be operated by the South Australian Dental Service under the 30-year Dental Education Partnership Agreement between the University of Adelaide and SA Health. This also includes the new 89-chair Adelaide Dental Hospital opening in July 2017 in the University of Adelaide Health and Medical Sciences building, in the city’s West End.

From Monday 30 January 2017, final-year Adelaide Dental School students will work at the clinic on a rotational basis under the supervision of qualified dentists and academic staff. Dental students will be present for 48 weeks of the year.

“We are proud to be able to support state-of-the art dental services for the Riverland community, while at the same time providing our students with valuable clinical experience,” says University of Adelaide Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Warren Bebbington.

“The Riverland Oral Health Centre plays an important part in our 30-year partnership with the state government, which enables us to continue to provide quality dental services to the South Australian community and secure clinical placements for our students for the long term.”

The Hon. Jack Snelling, Minister for Health, says: “This is a brilliant partnership between the state government and the University of Adelaide and the clinic will go a long way in helping to reduce dental waiting lists in regional SA.

“It’s a brilliant outcome for locals, for staff and for the next generation of rural dentists – who will undertake their training in Berri.”

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